Universal nabs 'Raindrops' spec

Ben Stiller, Stuart Cornfeld and Jeremy Kramer to produce

Universal Pictures has put on its galoshes and raincoat for "Raindrops All Around Me," a comedy spec penned by Reed Agnew and Eli Jorne. Ben Stiller, Stuart Cornfeld and Jeremy Kramer will produce via their Red Hour Films banner.

The story centers on a socially inept high school teacher who learns to "dumb it down" in order to fit in with the people around him.

The deal was in the mid- to high-six figures.

Universal's Lawrence Grey and David Ortiz will oversee the project for the studio.

Stiller is not formally attached to star at this point, though future script developments might change that. He directed, co-wrote and stars (alongside Jack Black and Robert Downey Jr.) in the summer comedy "Tropic Thunder," which Red Hour produced.

Agnew, who previously worked in journalism, has worked on comedy shows including "Drawn Together," "Crank Yankers" and "The Andy Milonakis Show." Jorne, a graduate of the AFI screenwriting program, previously sold the feature pitch "Cruise Ship" to Jerry Weintraub at Warner Bros. with a different writing partner, Charlie McDowell. The two discovered a similar sensibility when they shared on office on "Crank Yankers." Although they have several blind script deals in place, this is the duo's first script sale.